Amongst Tea Leaves and Hidden Messages
by Jayde Kara
Summary: M.K.'s taken to visiting the local teahouse in Moonhaven where all the workers are called Leafmen, and one in particular catches her eye. M.K. knows she's got it bad when even her dense dad is starting to notice her frequent visits. Between her senior year classes, connecting with her dad, and trying to get the attention of Nod, the (cute) Leafman, this year's gonna be busy.
1. Power Outlets and Flowers

**AN: I just watched epic today(May 27, 2013)! IT WAS BEAUTIFUL! BUT SERIOUSLY GUYS! WE NEED WAY MORE EPIC FANFICTION! Especially since I ship MK and Nod so MUCH! So come on and get cracking!**

**This story is an AU because I felt like it!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own epic(2013) or else M.K. would probably still be the same size as Nod and they'd both be dating dating rather than just webcamming XD**

* * *

"Dad! I'm going out for a while!" I shout, lacing up my grungy pink combat boots. The laptop inside my worn leather satchel starts to uncomfortably poke my stomach.

"Where are you going?" My dad shouts from his study.

"Nowhere," I say innocently as I stand to grab my pink striped black helmet from the coat rack, "Just the tea spot in town."

"Oh," my dad says tired, then with sudden realization he repeats, "Oh!" Rolling his chair out into the hallway he starts smirk.

"_Since when does my dad smirk?"_ I thought. "What?" I ask tentatively as I secure my helmet to my noggin.

"Nothing," my dad states with a little sing-song voice, "It's just, you know, you've been spending a lot of time at that 'tea spot in town' recently huh?"

My eyes widen and suddenly I'm glad I haven't turned to face him because from the temperature of my face, I'm pretty sure I'm the color of a tomato.

_Play it cool M.K._ "Y-Yeah, y'know they got really nice blends!" _Shoot! I stuttered. I need a nice recovery!_ "Besides my, ummm, Ecology teacher assigned us this really huge assignment and you know how I get right? I just love my tea! Plus they have the greatest snacks! Besides they have free wi-fi! That's a really great feature for places like that." _Okay M.K. that was a bit too much_, I think wincing at my nervous spew of words.

"Mmmmhmmmm," my dad hums knowingly, "Have fun!"

_That's how I knew I had it bad._

Even my dad is starting to say things.

* * *

I pedal over to Moonhaven's local tea joint, _Tara's Teahouse_, on the chrome pink bicycle my dad got me last month, the memory of the day still fresh in my mind.

"_If you're going to be living with me your going to need some form of transportation, and since I don't have a car, I got you this!" my dad exclaimed, eyes wide and a goofy smile on his face as he grandly gestures towards the bike behind him. Its frame is a brilliant shade of a chrome dusty rose and its wheels are white rather than regular black to match the white shade of the handlebars and seat._

"_Thanks dad!" I say enthusiastically, "But I think I could have done without the pink bike horn." I point to the children's horn, amused that he got me one at my age. _

"_Really? I thought it fit pretty nicely," his brows scrunched up in confusion._

"_Don't worry about it dad! The basket was a nice touch though." I say gratefully moving to kiss his cheek, "Now I don't have to carry all of my textbooks in my backpack!"_

"_Yeah," he agrees with his signature goofy grin, "It was! Wasn't it?"_

I finally reach Tara's and park my bike in the alleyway near the back exit. I quickly snap on my silver bike lock, grab my Ecology textbook from the front basket, and head into the teahouse.

* * *

As soon as I enter Tara's Teahouse, the smell of the earth invades my senses. Not the gross dirt and rotting wood smell, but the sweet scent of blooming flowers and freshly blended tea leaves. Then I see _him_. As I walk over to my typical booth, I nervously adjust my bag strap, stuff my free hand into the pocket of my pale pink hoodie, and sneak a glance at him.

He's taking someone's order. His bored face is lightly sprinkled with little freckles, his brown hair is a bit disheveled, but something about him intrigues me. Maybe it's that glow in his eyes or the way his mouth occasionally pulls up into a heart melting, lopsided smile.

But it's not like I've really ever talked to him before. He always seems so busy, whether it's taking orders from the manager or getting trained by the manager or getting scolded by the manager. The last happens quite often.

He walks from the table to the back of the shop and I sigh. I don't even know his name, but I just can't stop coming here. Plus the tea blends and pastries here _are_ really great.

Sliding into my regular booth, I set my textbook and my bag on the table. As I wait for someone to give me a menu, I begin to set up my chrome green laptop.

I take the power cord and lean under the table in an attempt to plug it into the wall outlet, but it doesn't reach and I only succeed in having my bangs fall, covering my eyes. With a huff I blow my bangs back into place and I slide back out of my booth to crawl under the table on all fours with power cord in hand. It's too dark under the table and my hair falls back out of place. Just as I find the sneaky little power outlet I think hear a noise coming up from behind me. I ignore it and proceed to plug my charger into the wall. _Or I try at least._

The darn plug won't go in and the noise I heard before is growing louder. I try again, realigning the plug to the outlet and pushing it in with all of my might. Still it doesn't go in and I let out a cry of frustration that is _ahem_ not so ladylike if I do say so myself.

"Ummm…Can I help you?"

My eyes quickly widen in recognition and in shock my head hits the table with a loud "BANG!"

"Owwwwww!" I groan, closing my eyes, as I clutch my now throbbing head.

"Are you okay?" the same voice asks again with a hint of worry.

I slowly open my eyes and my fears are confirmed. It's _him_. He's crouched down, pen and pad in hand and staring at me with the bored look on his face replaced with one of concern.

"_You're good M.K. You got this!_" I think to myself. I slowly crawl back out, power cord in hand, "Yeah, I'm fine." I say. Looking up I see that I've crawled a bit too far and my face is a mere inch away from his. I quickly look away hoping my face isn't as red as it feels.

"What were you doing down there?" He asks with a laugh.

My face heats up even more and I weakly reply, "My power cord won't go in."

"Awww really? That again?" He says with a moan, "That table has been through a lot recently. We're getting it fixed up soon as soon as Ronin gets off his lazy butt."

"Really? I was here a few days ago and it was perfectly fine." I said, confused.

"Yeah, it would have been," He sighed his free hand reaching up to tangle his fingers in his brown hair, "Yesterday some kid thought it would be a good idea to stick a toothpick in there and another though it would be a pretty good idea to kick it in as far as it could go." He explains as he runs his free hand through his hair again, obviously exasperated.

I wince, "Not a good day huh?"

"Nope," he says tiredly, "Especially since the insurance company has all this paperwork to cover the 'damage of property caused by minors' as they put it." He shakes his head and pulls his hand from his brown hair which is even messier than before. "Anyways," He says with a sigh, "I'm sure you've got better things to do than to listen to me complain." He smiles that lopsided smile and stands, "Nod, the Leafman, at your service."

He offers a hand to me, but I can't help it and I start to laugh.

"What?" he asks confused.

"Nod, the Leafman?" I ask as I take his hand which, I note, is quite warm.

"It's what the manager likes us to call ourselves, Leafmen, protectors of the forest. Tea leaves come from the forest. Just seemed to click." He grinned weakly as he helped me stand.

"So Leafman," I say slyly, "Is there something you can do for me?"

"Ummm…depends on the definition of something." He says cautiously, his eyes filled with uncertainty.

I lift up my power cord, "For starters, anything you can do to help me with this?"

* * *

_It's not like I like him._ I think as my eyes just happen to travel over to the brunette waiter who identified himself as Nod, the Leafman.

I turn back focusing on the menu he handed me. He had handed one to me after he had amazingly plugged the power cord to the power outlet in the next booth over. Then he had proceeded to serve the table he had helped earlier.

My eyes glance over the different types of tea, the different blends, tea of the day, and the different pastries they served. I finally decide on a chrysanthemum tea and a pastry plate that comes with a poppy seed muffin and two chocolate Madelines.

As I wait again for someone to take my order, I power up my laptop and open my email to find that my friend, Jack, has just sent me a ton of pictures of him and his girlfriend at the beach. I open one in particular of him at the beach next to a twilight sky. For some reason the thumbnail looked a bit off and as I examine it up close I see his blonde girlfriend creepily emerging halfway from the ocean water to scare him.

I can't hold back my laugh as I can imagine how much he probably freaked out when she clamped his shoulder from behind. The prankster, Jack Frost, of all people was terrified by his own princess of the Sun as he liked to call her.

"Ahem"

I hear someone clear their throat a bit annoyed. Turning I see it's Nod and he seems a little uncomfortable.

"Hi, are you waiting for somebody or are you ready to order?" He asks fidgeting with his pen.

"Yeah," I say.

"Oh" He says softly. His face seems to fall a bit and he starts to turn away.

"Oh! Wait! I mean, 'Yeah, I'm ready to order.' I'm not waiting for anyone." I say quickly.

"Isn't your boyfriend coming?" Nod asks slowly.

"Who?" I ask confused. "_I don't have a boyfriend. Do I look like I have a boyfriend? Would he be my boyfriend?_" At that last thought I quickly shake the idea from my head in time to hear him ask one of the most ridiculous questions I have ever heard.

"Isn't that guy," he says pointing to Jack's picture, "you know?"

"Ew," I say a bit grossed out, "I don't have a boyfriend and if I did it would not be him. Jack's way too much like a little brother. Besides, he's got his own little princess of the sun." Just to prove my point I click on a picture of Jack and his girlfriend holding hands and smiling at the camera.

"Oh," Nod's face softens and seems to lighten a bit, "So your order?"

"Right!" I grab my menu. "I'll have this and this pastry plate," I say pointing to the aforementioned items with a smile.

"What color would you prefer?" He asks quickly.

"What color what?" I say confused.

He clears his throat again, "Chrysanthemum. What color do you want your chrysanthemum to be? White or Yellow?"

"Hmmmm," I hum thoughtfully, "I'm not sure, just surprise me." I say with a smile. Then I notice that he looks a bit redder than before, "Are you okay?" I ask, "You seem a bit red."

"Hmm?" He mumbles, "Yeah. Yeah! I'm fine. I'll be back with your order in a little bit!"

He turns and as he walks towards the back, I notice that the tips of his ears are a bit red as well.

* * *

As I type up my essay about the use of plants in society and ancient civilizations as remedies and medicines, Nod returns with my order. He lightly places a china teacup and pastry plate, both decorated with beautiful pink gloxinia flowers on the table.

"So what color?" I ask, tugging his shirt before he turns to leave.

"Huh?" Nod says surprised.

"The chrysanthemum," I ask as I peer into the china teacup, "What color did you give me?"

"Oh," He says with a squeak, "White. I g-gave you a white one."

"Thanks," I say as I take a quick sip, "It tastes delicious."

"No problem," Nod says as he stuffs his hands into the pockets of his apron. "Call me back if you need anything!" He calls over his shoulder with a boyish grin.

I lift my teacup in his direction and I turn back to my laptop.

* * *

**AN: Whoever gets the meaning of the color of the chrysanthemum gets a virtual cookie! Whoever has heard of gloxinia flowers gets a virtual pastry plate like the one M.K. ordered ;) I just want to note now that I am not a tea expert and I don't drink tea often. Lol I just thought it would fit y'know! Leafmen and Tea Leaves XD Plus I am not an expert in the language of flowers, but I do know that there are many different translations. I'll try to be as accurate as possible, but all meanings are going to be explained sooner or later :)**

**For all those you are Big Four fans, I am a Jackunzel shipper ;D So Jack is Jack Frost and Jack's girlfriend is Rapunzel :3**

**Anyways I don't have school after this week so I'll update ALL my stories soon! Time taken to complete chapter: 4 hours.**

**Read, Review, and Favorite and you'll bring a smile to my face :D**


	2. Falling and Pressing

**AN: Hello! Hello! Hello! Here is Chapter 2! Sorry for the wait, but I wasn't sure how I should start off this one, but no fear, for it is here! Great job to everybody! This section has grown, but I personally still think we need more fanfics! Thanks so much for all the favorites and reviews everybody! Every time I get an email notification for anything y'all do, it brings a smile on my face even on a bad day. So many of you guessed what the chrysanthemum means(Virtual cookies!), but a lot of you guys forgot about the _other_ flower ;) No fear though! All will be explained… in time **

**Disclaimer: I don't own epic(2013) even though it is totally awesome and supremely epic!**

* * *

I slump back into the engraved wooden booth and finally relax. After four straight hours of work, five macadamia nut cookies, and seven cups of green tea, I had finally finished my Ecology homework!

While all my other teachers thought it would be nice to have no homework over the weekend, my ecology teacher, Mr. Harkins, found "the greatest assignment" that was "bomb dang diggity sure" to widen our interest in the field of ecology and herbalism, the study and use of plants in medicine. Although I was already aware of the "wonderful wonders of the Earth", I had originally thought that having an extra science course as an elective my senior year would be fun, but Mr. Harkins somehow found all the right ways to bring out the boring in nature.

I lazily count the number of reasons as to why his class was so boring on my fingers. _He was monotone, used old words that he referred to as "hip" and "in the now", he smelled weird…_

After I got past the amount I could count using my fingers, I was too tired to continue. I close my laptop and cleaned up all my papers and stuffed them, my binder, and notebooks into my bag, its leather worn and discolored from years of use. I got up to unplug my laptop from the booth behind me, this time it pulled out with ease and I packed up my laptop as well. As I get up once again to leave, textbook and bike key in hand, my bag catches onto the table and the next thing I know I'm falling towards the floor.

I quickly shut my eyes bracing for the impact, but it's a bit softer than I thought it would be. A bit warmer too. And a bit…wait a minute.

I peek out of my eye and my fears are confirmed. I landed on someone. A really cute someone with brown hair, brown eyes, and a really, _really_ cute smile. _Shoot_.

"Owwwwwwww," Nod groans, which is when I realize that I'm on top of him and he's under me.

"Omigosh! I'm sorry!" I say quickly as I move to get off of him and out of the most awkward position in my life.

"Had one too many cookies didn't you," Nod says cheekily as he stands, dusts himself off, and offers me a hand for the second time today.

"Hey!" I say indignantly as grab his hand to stand.

"Just kidding," Nod says quickly, lifting his other hand up defensively. As I fix my skirt and adjust the strap of my bag he brings his hand up to his neck and tries to nonchalantly ask, "So, do you come around here often?"

_Did he just say that? _Looking up at him his expression is tells me that he's thinking the exact same thing. "Umm," I start._ Darn it M.K. get it together! Don't stumble over you words!_ "Yeah, yes, I mean, I guess?" _Great job._

As I mentally face palm, Nod begins to eye my textbook, "So are you a student or something?" he asks.

"What? Oh! Yeah, I'm a senior at Moonhaven." _Come on don't blow this M.K., be cool._ "You know go hummingbirds!" I add halfheartedly. _I should stop talking right now._

"Oh, yeah I remember all that stuff," Nod says with a smirk.

"You 'remember'?" I ask jokingly, "What are you? An old codger?"

"Hey!" He says, almost exactly mimicking my cry earlier, "I'm only 19!"

_Hmmm, so he's only two years older than me._ As I pondered this new information, Nod's eyes wander over to the window behind me and they quickly widen. His head snaps up to the wall clock behind the counter, prompting me to check my watch. It's almost nine.

"Shoot!" I say to myself quietly. It's already dark outside even with the streetlamps on. My dad is probably worried or on the other hand he probably forgot I was living at his house. Again.

"Nod!" I hear an angry voice call from the back of the shop.

"Aww man," Nod whines.

"NOD!" the voice calls again, this time louder.

I barely hear Nod mutter an "Uh oh," before he shoots me a weak smile, "Got to go, I'll be right back."

He quickly runs to the back and five seconds later I hear some familiar scolding coming from the back of the shop. _I wonder what he did this time._ When I was working on my paper I remember noticing the intimidating manager calling Nod to the back of the teahouse at least three times to lecture him. I awkwardly sit back down in the booth and wait for him to come back.

I grab something of the table to occupy my bored hands and I end up with my first tea cup, the one with the gloxinia flowers. Playing with it, I turn it in my hands playing with its cold, smooth surface with my fingers until they hit something soft. I peer inside and I see the white chrysanthemum that Nod had put inside.

Pulling it out, I find that it's no longer soaking wet nor even a little damp; it's actually a bit dry. I place the cup back on the table as I grab a napkin from the dispenser and carefully wrap the chrysanthemum. As I hear Nod coming back from his lecture, I quickly, but somehow carefully shove the tissue covered flower into my hoodie's front pocket. As he walks up to me he mutters something to himself under his breath that I can't really hear.

"So," I asked grabbing my stuff as I stand, "What was that all about?"

"What?" He asks a bit distractedly. "Oh," Nod clears his throat, "Nothing really, I was supposed to close up early and Ronin, the manager, is just mad that I haven't started yet."

"Better get started then Leafboy." I say with a playful smirk, lightly pushing him with my shoulder as I make my way towards the exit.

"Hey, M.K." Nod shouts across the room. I turn, my free hand hanging next to me as I lean on the door of the teahouse.

"What?" I ask him. His mouth forms a cheeky smile.

"It's Leafman."

* * *

With a smile, I leave Tara's Teahouse and move to the back alley to unlock my bike. I drop my Ecology textbook into the metal bicycle basket and I pull my cell phone from my hoodie and call the house. Knowing my dad wouldn't pick up the phone, I squish my phone between my shoulder and neck as I wait for the voice mail machine and kneel to unlock my bike from the rack. As I successfully pulled my chain free from the bike, the house's machine finally asks me to leave a message after the beep and I stuff my lock and key into my bag.

"Hey Dad, I'm just leaving the tea place. I'll be there soon. Bye." I stuff the phone back into my pocket and I unsnap my helmet from my bag. I hop onto my bike, snap my helmet on, and head back to the house in the woods.

As I reach my house I wheel my bike into the shed and lock it up again. I walk back up the cobblestone path to the front porch. Unlocking the door, I quickly kick off my boots and hang my helmet as I shout, "Dad! I'm back!"

This time I don't get a response, but that's usual. He's probably obsessing over some evidence that he's found on that big conspiracy theory he's made up about environmental terrorists and a secret government organization or something.

I quickly grab a roll of wax paper from the kitchen and with a slight huff, I start walk up the stairs to my room. But before I get too far, I hear a familiar barking sound followed by an audible "thump". With a soft smile I turn and find old, three-legged, but still cute Ozzy who had just ran into the stairwell. He makes a low whine and as I pick him up he begins to lick my face.

"Ozzy! No kisses," I say laughing. I cradle him in my arms along with textbook and I continue to my room. As I reach the top of the stairs he struggles in my arms. As soon as I open my bedroom door, Ozzy leaps from my arms and runs in random large circles around my room before settling down in the center of the pink rug. I still remember when he was just the little puppy my mom came home with. She had seen him in a box on the street and convinced my dad to let us keep him.

I drop my bag onto the floor and fall back onto my bed too small to fit my body. Although I had moved in with my dad about a month ago, I hadn't unpacked my suitcase. My room was still exactly how it had been when my mom and I left years ago, but it didn't feel right.

The walls and all my furniture were still painted pink with drawings of trees and forest animals covering every inch. My little fairy cave doll house was left abandoned on my tea table, a mug of old crayons stacked on books of old fairy tales on my desk, an open music box on my nightstand, and a little children's mobile hanging above my bed with little stars surrounding the smiling Earth, moon, and sun. Everything is so familiar, but it just doesn't feel like home anymore.

As I curl up on my bed I pull out the napkin from Tara's and gently unwrap the flower. I pull out an old encyclopedia my mom gave me and grab one of the small chairs from the tea table. I place the flower onto the table along with the heavy book and uncomfortably sit in my too small chair. I pull out a pair of scissors from the desk drawer and get to work.

I carefully snip off as much of the little stem that's left on the chrysanthemum and cut off a piece of the wax paper. Folding the sheet of paper in half, I flip to the middle of the worn and wrinkled copy of the encyclopedia and lay it inside. I lightly pick up the fragile flower from the table and transfer it to the open book. After I adjust the petals a bit and date the wax paper, I gingerly shut the book, placing the aforementioned tall and heavy stack of fairy tales on top of it.

"You know, your mom used to love doing that," a voice calls from my door. Surprised I quickly turn, seeing my dad leaning against the doorframe, his face wearing an unfamiliar expression. Somehow, it made my chest feel heavy and my voice catch in my throat.

"Yeah," my voice cracks a bit as the memories start to flood back, "She taught me everything I know."

"Mary Kather-, I mean, M.K.," my dad starts stumbling over his words, "If you ever need, I mean if you want to talk about, about—"

"I'm fine, Dad," I interrupt quickly and maybe a bit too harshly than I should have, but I continue, "Remember? Five stages of grief? I'm perfectly fine working it out by myself."

"Oh," he says looking down to his feet a bit sadly, "Okay, just remember to get some rest."

"Sure Dad," my face barely forming a tired smile, "Good night."

"Good night, M.K." he says as he shuts the door behind him.

I can feel my façade breaking as smile begins to waver and my eyes start to water. I lie back onto my bed and curl up so my legs can fit. I bite my bottom lip to stop myself from crying, but the tears come anyway. I pull the covers over my head and cry into the pillow to muffle my growing sobs. Ozzy leaps up on to my bed, wiggles his way under the covers, and cuddles up next to me like when he was a puppy. As I cry myself to sleep I can only think one thing.

_Mom, I wish you were here._

* * *

**AN: Hey guys! Sorry for taking an entire week to upload this chapter, but things have been far more hectic than I thought they'd be! I promise the next one won't take as long! In fact, I've already started it! Some of you have been wondering if you're going to hear Nod's side of the story. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to incorporate his POV into this story or if I'll do a whole other story just with his POV. Hmmmm… Tell me in the reviews what y'all would prefer! Also check out the short oneshot I wrote called "I'll Be Waiting"! I've got more story ideas so look out for more epic fanfics ;D**

**Remember!**

**Read, Review, and Favorite and you'll bring a smile to my face :D**


	3. Groceries and Awkward Talks

**AN: Hi everybody! Sorry for the wait but chapter 3 is here! Plus I got the artbook for the movie X) Thanks for all the reviews, follows, and favorites everybody! This chapter has got some character introductions ^w^ Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own epic(2013) although it is seriously an epic movie ;)**

* * *

I wake up to Ozzy licking my face again. My legs are dangling off the side of the bed and my head is up against the corner of the wall and the bed's headpost. I wipe the dog slobber off my face, place Ozzy at the foot of the bed, and curl up into a ball again.

I shut my eyes, toss and turn, adjust the covers but it's useless. I can't fall asleep. With I sigh, I swing my feet onto the floor and check the time on my phone. I wince a bit as the bright screen hurts my eyes, but as my eyes adjust to the brightness I can see that it reads "5:03 AM". _Ugh, it's a Saturday and I have no homework. I'm supposed to be allowed to sleep in!_

I grab a towel and a change of clothes from my still packed suitcase and I trudge over to the bathroom across the hall.

As I brush my teeth, I look into the mirror. My eyes are slightly puffy and my ponytail is completely messed up with tuffs of hair sticking out in every random direction. I quickly wash my face, take a shower, and thirty minutes later I my eyes are slightly less puffy and my ponytail is fixed.

I walk down the stairs in a fresh pair of black jeans and a comfy, light blue jacket. I walk to the kitchen to grab an early breakfast. I sift through the jars of leaves and old science experiments, the expired bags of food and the moldy loaf of bread on the second shelf, taking note to clean out the fridge after I eat.

I find an egg, a bagel, some ham that hasn't gone bad yet, and just enough orange juice to fill half a glass. I fry the egg, push aside my dad's papers on the table, and make myself a ham and egg sandwich.

As I eat my makeshift breakfast, my phone starts to vibrate. It's Grub.

Grub is a research scientist. He always starts chattering off about being a noble scientist fighting to protect the world from the evils that target nature, but he's really just a standard researcher. Grub's pretty smart and says he assists "the most awesomest" person in the scientific community.

As I swallow my last mouthful of food, I pick up. "Hi Grub," I say.

"Hey M.K.," he starts as I down the last of my orange juice, "I have to be out of town tomorrow for business and I was wondering if you could watch Mub for me."

"Yeah, sure" I say.

"Great!" Grub exclaims, "I'll drop him off at your place tomorrow at 7 o'clock and pick him up at around 5 o'clock?"

"Okay," I agree. "I'll see you guys tomorrow then," I say with a smile as I drop my empty plate and glass into the sink.

"Bye!" Grub says as he hangs up.

Grub's younger cousin Mub is a sweet kid. He already finished his schooling through high school even though he's only twelve and typically assists Grub in his advanced research. Yet somehow he still acts like a kid, a really immature kid, but still a kid. If only he stopped hitting on me…

* * *

After I finish my breakfast, I sort the expired, from the really expired, and I make sure not to throw out any of my dad's science experiments new, old, or otherwise. After I clean out the fridge, I write up a list of things to get in town.

Afterwards, I check the time again. It's still only 6:50. I figure since the house is around six miles from town, I'll make it by around 7:10 if I head there right now. I grab my bag and wallet from my room, quickly leave a note for my dad, and hop out the door as I pull on my boots.

I grab my bike from the shed and make my way towards town.

* * *

As I reach Moonhaven, I get off my bike and wheel it onto the sidewalk. As I walk towards Dandelions, the local market, I pass by Tara's Teahouse. Glancing through the window, I get a glimpse of the manager looking a bit ticked off. No doubt because of Nod again. _I hope he doesn't get punished too much this time._

I finally reach Dandelions and lock my bike up next to the shop. As I enter the rather empty store, I immediately spot the owner's daughter, Danielle Diana, behind the basket of apples. She is the cutest little girl. She always helps her mom around the shop and has a flower and smile ready for every customer. Today she's wearing her strawberry blonde hair in two braids and a green dress under her "Dandelions" apron.

Danielle Diana is loading apples into the display and hasn't spotted me yet so I creep up behind her slowly and poke her. She jumps about a foot in the air turns around, her braids nearly hitting me and her face adorned with the cutest smile in the world.

"M.K.!" She exclaims in a high pitched shriek as she jumps into my arms, her green dress flowing delicately behind her.

"Hey there Danielle Diana," I say, as she crushes me in a bone breaking hug.

Looking up to me, her face forms a pout, "I told you to call me Dandi! All my friends do! You're the only one who won't! Danielle Diana is way too long!"

"But—" I attempt to protest.

"No buts! If you don't I'll start calling you Mary Katherine again!" she interrupts scrunching her eyes in an attempt to be intimidating.

"You'd better do what she says," a voice calls out. Looking up from Danielle Diana, I see her mother, Mrs. Lyons, carrying some more crates of produce from the back room. As she sets the crates on the floor she continues, "If you don't you'll never get out of that vice grip she's got you in."

Danielle Diana beams at her mom then turns back to me with a pair of hopeful eyes.

"Mrs. Lyons," I whine childishly with a smile on my face, "I can't resist her Bambi eyes!"

Mrs. Lyons only smiles and says, "I've taught her well."

I sigh, "Fine."

"Yippee!" Dandi says, releasing me from her hug only to jump around and then recapture me in her arms. She shoots me a blinding smile and pulls a delicate, white daisy from her light green dress. She happily offers it to me by shooting her arm up towards me and stuffing the flower in my face.

"So today's flower is the daisy?" I ask as I gently take the flower twirling it in my fingers.

"Yup!" She says taking the flower back from my hand and placing it in my hair. "They mean simplicity, faith, purity, loyal love, and innocence!" she lists the many definitions, counting on her fingers as she goes. She turns to her mom to make sure, "Did I get them all?"

"You forgot one," her mom says with a little smile.

"Darn it!" Dandi says. She shuts her eyes in concentration and puts her hands to her head like a psychic. A few seconds later, Dandi's eyes pop open and her finger points up in success, "It's cheer!" She says with a smile.

"You got it," Her mom said happily as she moved to set more fruits on display.

"Good job," I say patting her on the head.

Dandi's smile grows larger than before as she starts to talk again, "I've been learning the language of flowers! My mom says I'm really good at it!"

I smile at her gently as I remember when my mom would teach me the language of flowers too. She'd pull out her book and read me random meanings when I was feeling down saying, "You know the iris means faith and hope" or "Do you see the white heather? It means wishes will come true."

Suddenly, I remember why I'm at Dandelions and quickly snap myself from memory lane. I grab a couple of fruits, orange juice, and some vegetables to replace the spoiled ones I had thrown away and I pay Mrs. Lyons at the counter. With a quick goodbye, I leave the shop and take a bite from one of the apples I bought. I enter the deli next door and pick up some more ham, turkey, and cheese.

I unlock my bike and put my groceries into the basket. As I wheel it to the bakery a few blocks down the road, I finish off my apple and drop the core into the nearby garbage can.

When I reach the bakery I kneel to lock up my bike again, but when I stand up I see a familiar face.

"Hey M.K." Nod says with a smile.

"Hi Nod," I say as I grab the groceries from the basket. "You going in?" I ask nodding towards the bakery.

"What? Oh, no I had to pick up some stuff for the teahouse so I'm heading there right now."

"Oh, okay," I say a bit disappointed, "I hope you have fun at work. I saw Ronin there earlier, he looked a bit ticked."

Nod winces, "Aw man, not again."

"You should probably stop doing whatever you do that makes him so mad at you if you hate those lectures so much," I say with a grin.

"I can't do that," he exclaims, his eyes wide with shock, apparently appalled that I even suggest such a thing, "He'll make me all old and boring like him!"

I try to hold back my laughter, but I just can't. Between my laughs I manage to say, "That's probably why he always yells at you. Isn't he your boss?"

"Yeah, doesn't mean I always have to do what he tells me to," Nod grumbles.

"Nod, that is the definition of a boss," I say laughing again.

"Whatever," Nod says pouting with a strange resemblance to Dandi. "So are you coming around the teahouse today?" he asks casually.

"No," I say regretfully, "I have to get these groceries home before they spoil."

"Oh," Nod says with a bit of disappointment in his voice.

"But I think I can come tomorrow!" I quickly add.

"Really?" Nod asks hopefully.

"Yeah," I say quickly, hoping that I haven't started to blush again.

"Okay then!" Nod says cheerfully with his signature heart melting smile. "I'll see you tomorrow," he shouts over his shoulder as he runs towards the teahouse.

As I walk towards the bakery, I give him one last look at his retreating figure and then enter the bakery. I pick up a few loaves of bread and a couple muffins before I drop everything back into my basket and make my way back home.

* * *

After I get back to the house, I quickly put the groceries into the fridge. I grab a loaf of bread, and some slices of cheese and turkey to make some sandwiches. I make two, one for myself and one for my dad. I can tell he's already awake from all the beeping and typing noises coming from across the hall. While I cut slices of bread off the loaf, I munch on another apple. When I finally finish I put one of the sandwiches on a separate plate and call for my dad.

"Hey Dad," I shouted, "I made you some lunch."

"Thanks M.K.," he says, "I was just getting hungry."

"Do you want me to bring it over there?" I asked.

"No, it's okay. I'll eat over there," He said to my surprise. Usually he took his food over to his desk with all the computer monitors and radio equipment. He typically never takes a break from his research. Even though I'd only been back at the house for a month, I could tell that he would drop everything for his research.

I grabbed two cups of water and set them down on the table as I made more room on the kitchen table. My dad walked over from the table and we ate in relative silence until I remembered Grub's call from earlier.

"Hey Dad," I say, "Grub called earlier and asked me to watch Mub for him while he's away for the day. Grub's dropping him off at 7 o'clock tomorrow."

My dad looks up and swallows his food with an audible "gulp". "You mean the Mub that's always so…" He trails off thinking about a word he could use to describe him.

"Weird?" I offer.

"Peculiar," my dad says decidedly. "The last time you watched him I remember. He was the one who tried to make me pull his tongue so he could lick his nose."

"Really?" I say laughing, "It seems like something he would do."

"Doesn't he keep asking you to go out with him?" he adds, "Does that tea boy you like know that he has some competition?"

When he says this, I had, unluckily, just started to sip some water. Needless to say, I choked on it. After a few coughs, I exclaim, "WHAT!?"

"You know that guy you like," my dad says with a strange calmness and a hint of a smirk, "The one who works at that tea spot in town."

_He's smirking again?! My dad doesn't smirk! Especially twice in two days! Where's my socially clueless, bumbling dad who trips over all his words? _My "dad" calmly drinks some of his water and takes another bite of his sandwich as he waits for me to speak.

"How do you know I like Nod?!" I exclaim before I can stop myself. I slam my hand to my mouth, but the words have already been said. Now I know I'm red. I slam my forehead to the table with a loud groan and flip my hood over my head as I practically shrink with embarrassment.

"It's obvious," my dad says, "You look exactly like I did when I fell in love with your mom."

I turn my head to face him. "I look like a guy in college?" I joke weakly.

"No, well not really,"

I raise an eyebrow at this remark.

"Anyways," he continues, "When I first saw your mom, I looked like you did yesterday. I couldn't wait for just another chance to catch a glimpse of her."

My dad talks with a nostalgic twinkle in his eye that I miss from when I was a kid. "I remember this story." I say, "You and mom used to always tell it to me."

He nodded, "You always asked for the story when you were little. You were always asking us to tell it to you as a bedtime story rather than a fairy tale, or a book, or an excerpt from John Joe Rowmann's latest research on the development of technological advancements for the magnification of visuals and other various paraphernalia for the modern day scientist."

At the last one I laugh a bit. Lifting my head off the table I give my dad a soft smile before I resume eating my sandwich. My dad starts to tell me the story one more time, beginning like he always had as if it all happened yesterday. Like mom was still here and we were still a happy family living everyday as we had always done. Together.

* * *

**AN: ^w^ You'll hear the story next chapter! Danielle Diana and Mrs. Lyons are the Dandelion Jinn from the movie :D I've decided that I will also be including Nod's POV in this story! It'll be coming up in the next few chapters. Next chapter is also the first time seeing Mub and Grub(but mostly Mub because Grub will be away for a business trip) Seeya next chapter! Watch out for my other fanfics and as always…**

**Remember!**

**Read, Review, and Favorite and you'll bring a smile to my face :D**


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